We are launching our Reach & Rise® program as a group mentoring program, which will enable us to help more children. Each group can be formed by age, activity (like sports or art), by geographic area, or in other ways that will benefit children in the group. In addition, those not currently matched in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County program will benefit immediately from this group model. Our goal is to serve 50 youth in the first year of the program. This group structure can help participants learn how to form social skills in peer groups, and build relationships that could last a lifetime.

Reach & Rise® has established a curriculum for each group session.

Activities and events related to this program will be held in public and community spaces with two volunteers present.

Reach & Rise® is an evidence-based youth mentoring program with published research leading to specific guidelines that will help to ensure the success of the program. Outcomes include:

• Increased productive use of afterschool hours
• Involvement in two or more community activities throughout the year
• Improved ability to relate to guardians, peers, and authority figures
• improved school functioning
• Increased resiliency to gang recruitment
• Decrease in substance abuse

Because this program is evidence-based, we have received the support and endorsement of the Butler Area School District, which will serve as one referral source for the program.

Program volunteers would be required to obtain the same clearances that YMCA employees and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County volunteers obtain.

Volunteers will also attend specialized mentor training sessions that total 15 hours.

How can children be referred to the program? Referral sources include school districts, churches, individuals and family members

Referral sources include school districts, churches, individuals and family members.

Since its founding, the YMCA’s Cause has been to strengthen communities. Our Youth Mentoring efforts to date have been focused on one child/one adult model. We recognized there is a gap in serving groups of children. As we researched numerous programs over the course of a year, we found the Reach & Rise® program was a good fit.

It’s an established successful YMCA program. Resources and ongoing support are available at no cost through the YMCA of the USA, our national organization.

A group mentoring program will provide safety for volunteer mentors and youth.

Participants and volunteers will see benefit from an evidence-based program where outcomes are tracked.

This program will be offered for free to participants. Funds for this program will come from the YMCA’s Annual Support Campaign. This important fund helps to support community programming to ensure that everyone regardless of age, income, or background has the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive.

In addition, we have fundraising events that are established and dedicated to our Youth Mentoring programs. We are confident the community will continue to support efforts to help children.

We are already applying for multiple grants, and we are meeting and in many ways exceeding the national standard for Reach & Rise program goals. 

We are excited to REACH more youth and are preparing to RISE to a new level of service in Butler County!

For additional questions, contact Katheryn Eberle Cotter, Reach and Rise® Youth Mentoring Coordinator at kcotter@bcfymca.org.